The Four Houses
by Al Skyll
Summary: Four wizards met on a train bound for Hogwarts. But they weren't supposed to become allies. They weren't supposed to come forward as representatives of completely different worlds, and they certainly weren't supposed to unite Hogwarts in a way never seen before. This is the tale of the Four Houses and the family they built.
1. Year 1: Gerald's Discovery

Gerald looked into a compartment only to see a boy about his age already there. The boy glanced away from the window just long enough to mutter, "Hullo."

Gerald scowled. Of course, he could go find somewhere else to sit. He didn't have to sit with the king of rude. Then he heard a voice he had rather grown to hate, and remembered he had a book to keep him company if this boy wouldn't. So he sat across from the boy, found his book, and flipped it open.

"Most people make conversation on long train rides." The boy mumbled again.

"I don't like small talk all that much, and you seem much more invested in the window." Gerald turned a page. "So forgive me for not wanting to socialize with someone who could barely manage eye contact and a 'hullo.'"

"I would happily chat with you if you acted like you cared to."

Gerald scowled and looked up. The boy was glaring at him with a pair of fierce blue eyes that Gerald decided right then would eternally be his least favorite color. "I think I would rather read than associate with the likes of you."

"What did you say?" The boy snapped and stood up.

Gerald slapped his book shut. "I said I would rather read than deal with you. Are you deaf or stupid?"

Not the wisest choice of words. The boy grabbed him by his robes and yanked him to his feet. "Do you have a problem?"

"Yes, actually, it's short and blond, and currently holding my robe." Getting punched in the face, Gerald realized, was well worth getting to say that. Even so, there was nothing quite as satisfying as punching back.

The two were about two seconds from a full-out brawl when suddenly two hands split them apart. "Excuse me!"

Gerald paused to look at the hand planted square in the middle of his chest. It had five pudgy fingers, and was dainty and delicate in a way, much like a baby's hand. He finally turned to look at the owner of the hand.

She pulled her hands back before extending them again in a friendly way. "I'm Margaret!"

Gerald inspected her. Perhaps her robes were a little too large, as well as the smile on her face, and her hands were empty.

Suddenly the other boy took her left hand. "Stephen."

Not to be outdone, Gerald took her right. "I am Gerald White. Pleasure to meet you, Margaret."

Then he caught the girl standing behind Margaret. Her hair fell in long, tight, brown curls. Perhaps by a pure miracle, her hair didn't seem big and it wasn't frizzy at all. Her black eyes seemed to stare into his soul. "I'm Rachel Kilman." Her words sounded the way chocolate pudding tasted, and Gerald had to take a moment to soak in them.

"Pleasure."

Margaret was suddenly right in his face with her big, sweet smile. "Are your parents wizards?"

Gerald gently pushed her away. "Yes."

She turned to Rachel and mumbled something. Gerald was careful in listening, but he still couldn't quite understand what she had said. Margaret didn't speak fast, but her words seemed to blur into each other, and when she wasn't looking at him Gerald couldn't tell what she said.

Rachel brushed a curl out of her face. "The Whites are a fairly prominent family in the wizard world. They're important members of the ministry of magic."

"Ah." Margaret turned back to Gerald. "My parents'aren't wizards infactI haven't seen m' father ina long time…" She trailed off a little bit and then suddenly glanced at Rachel.

Rachel smiled at Stephen and Gerald. "I've been telling her since we got on that she needs to speak more clearly so others could understand her, but she forgets when she gets excited, which as you can see, happens quite often."

Gerald still needed a moment to indulge in Rachel's words every time she spoke. "Yes, I can see that." Then he paused to wonder if she thought his voice was too nasely or high-pitched; it hadn't started to change yet, and he always wondered if he sounded annoying—

"I'm sorry I forget to speak clearl' I usuall' just talk to animals and they don' complain too much…" Margaret's voice, Gerald realized, was almost soothing in how she spoke, much like a cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows melting into it. Now he realized that as hard as it was to understand her, he could have listened to her talk forever.

"Hey, Maggie," Stephen put a hand on her shoulder, "you like animals?"

Margaret blinked at Stephen's nickname for her before her bright smile returned. "Yeah! I like animals! They're so shweet and cute an' I love them a lo'!"

Stephen smiled and patted the underside of his seat. Gerald spotted the emerald eyes a second after Margaret did. "Is that a kitty?" She squeaked and knelt on the floor. The cat crawled out from the tiny space under the seat and leapt onto her shoulder.

"His name is Figero. Or Rude Bas—" Rachel glared at Stephen before he finished. "Rude Guy."

Gerald got it. Innocent child, don't ruin her. "I've got an owl myself." He told Margaret. "But he's busy delivering a letter for me. I'll introduce you when he meets us at Hogwarts.

Margaret grinned brightly and stood up, cat still on her shoulder. "Hogwarts is amazing isn't it? I wouldn' know, since I've never been. Have any of you been befo'e?"

Stephen and Gerald shook their heads slowly. Rachel took Margaret's hand. "We could go around the train some more to see if we can find someone who has been there before."

Margaret grinned. "Alright!"

Gerald smiled slightly as he followed Rachel, Margaret, and Stephen out of the compartment. Mostly he wanted to hear Margaret and Rachel talk with their sweet voices, but he was also slightly curious about the seven years ahead of him at Hogwarts. Perhaps he should have stayed behind and let them slip away without him. Then nothing would have changed in the wizarding world, and the four houses would have remained the four houses.


	2. Year 1: Rachel and the Boy Who Lived

Rachel followed the little redhead who had her by the hand. Margaret was spunky and sweet and had managed to catch Rachel's attention as soon as they had met in Diagon Alley a week previous. The poor girl was completely clueless about the magic world though, as her parents were both muggles. It was almost sad watching her try to find her way, but Margaret seemed to be enjoying every second of it.

Rachel cast a quick glimpse over her shoulder. Stephen, a blond boy with a confident way of carrying himself, was right behind her. A little farther behind was Gerald, who was struggling to keep up even with his long legs. He wasn't nearly as confident as Stephen.

She turned back to Margaret, who had stopped abruptly to fling open a compartment door. Rachel had to take moment to absorb the sight in front of her. _The lightning bolt scar?_

"Hi! I'm Margaret!"

Rachel pulled her back as Stephen gasped behind them. "Margaret! That's Harry Potter! You can't just say, 'I'm Margaret!'"

"Oh!" Margaret gasped. Then, "Who's Harry Potter?"

Rachel sighed. "Him! The boy who lived! He survived an attack by you-know-who!"

Margaret gasped loudly and turned to Gerald, who had finally caught up. "Gerald, you tried to kill him?"

Gerald was caught rather off guard by this. "What? No! She meant he-who-shall-not-be-named!"

"Why? Is his name a bad word?"

Rachel, Gerald, and Stephen all cast a quick glance around that meant only one thing: _this girl must be protected at all costs._

"Er, no, it's, um…"

"Voldemort." Harry Potter grumbled.

Margaret looked back at the boy who lived. "I have no idea who that is, Rachel!"

Rachel sighed and put her hand on Margaret's shoulder. "I'll explain it later. For now, I just think you should show a little more respect for Harry Potter."

"Please don't, actually." Harry smiled at Margaret. "I am Harry Potter, and it's a pleasure to meet you, Margaret."

Margaret extended her hand and Harry took it. "Pleasure's all mine!" Then she turned sharply to the boy sitting next to Harry. "Fellow ginger." She giggled.

"Ron Weasley." The boy introduced himself.

"Weasley, hm?" Stephen poked his head into the compartment. "Haven't seen you in while."

Rachel could tell by the redheaded boy's face that he hadn't been expecting to see Stephen, and perhaps wasn't pleased either. "Andrews…" He grumbled.

"How are things with your father?" Stephen entered the compartment.

Ron continued to scowl at Stephen, but he didn't seem to notice. "He's fine. What about yours?"

Stephen was visibly bothered, but didn't say anything. "The usual…"

"Oh." Ron fell quiet.

Rachel looked between them for a moment, trying to read the situation, but with no luck.

Margaret stared at the scar on Harry's forehead. "So cool." She whispered. "I don't have a scar like that."

"Margaret! That's rude!" Rachel smacked her.

"Why?" She looked genuinely confused. "I said it looks cool!"

Harry smiled again. "It's fine."

Margaret suddenly perked up. "Wait! Are you new to this too?"

Harry thought for a second before answering, "Well, yeah…I guess."

Margaret grinned. "That makes me feel better. I don't know anything about what's happening here. I had to find Rachel in order to even find the right platform, and I still almost got lost. Then I tripped while I was boarding and got hurt." She smiled sheepishly. "It's only my first time and I'm already having a hard time."

Harry laughed. "I had a hard time too. But I'm sure it will get better."

Margaret beamed. "Yeah, you're right." She stepped out of the compartment. "I'll see you both soon!"

Rachel had to run to keep up as Margaret took off running again. "Hey! Wait!"

"Later, Weasley." Stephen nodded toward Ron and took off.

Gerald screwed up his face and gave Harry and Ron a look. "I feel like I've been kidnapped." Then he chased after the other three.

Rachel was amazed that the girl who tripped over everything could run so fast. "Margaret!"

Suddenly, the other girl stopped, causing Rachel to crash into her. Stephen hit both of them and they all fell onto the ground. "Margaret!" Stephen scolded.

"What's this?"

Rachel looked up to see a pale, blond boy. "Pardon?"

"Oh. You." Gerald had caught up.

He and the blond boy were glaring at each other. "White."

"Malfoy." Gerald looked down at Rachel, Margaret, and Stephen. "What happened?"

"Margaret stopped too fast." Rachel tried to shove Stephen off.

"Oh." Gerald looked back at the blond boy and grimaced. "Pleasure to see you again, Draco. When was it last? A week ago? Two?"

"One month." Draco Malfoy spat.

"It feels like it's been shorter than that." Gerald sneered.

"You know him?" Margaret crawled out from under the pile.

"This is Draco Malfoy, son of the ever-pretentious, er, I mean prestigious, Lucius Malfoy. His father and mine work side by side."

"It is unfortunate that your father married a muggle woman though." Draco remarked. "He could have done so much better."

Gerald forced himself to smile. "If you're picking a fight, Malfoy, I'll have to inform you that I'm under strict orders to not get myself dirty. But I'm sure someone else will happily mess you up for me."

Rachel was amazed at Gerald's ability to maintain his composure. It really was a trait belonging to anyone who had to work with Lucius Malfoy regularly. She finally got out from under Stephen, who seemed to have subjected himself to the floor rather than Draco.

Draco looked rather irritated. "Well then, some other time, White."

"Yes, another time, Malfoy." Gerald waved and walked away.

"Gerald, where are you going?" Margaret asked.

"Back to my compartment!" He responded.

"Well, wait for me!" She ran after him.

"Margaret!" Rachel yelled as Margaret took off running.

"Oh, here we go again." Stephen finally stood up and followed.


End file.
